Hi there, I really appreciate any help you can offer me.

Basically I have a relational database issue and need to merge a few csv files together in Stata but I can't seem to figure out how.

VISIT_DATA
Visit_ID
Patient_ID

SERVICE_DATA
Visit_ID
Visit_Service_ID

DISPENSATION_DATA
Visit_ID
Visit_DIspensation_ID

PATIENT_DATA
Patient_ID
Visit_ID

I started by merging PATIENT_DATA to VISIT_DATA

merge 1:m PATIENT_ID using VISIT_DATA

then PATIENT_DATA&VISIT_DATA to DISPENSATION DATA

merge 1:m VISIT_ID using DISPENSATION_DATA

So I have a database that has PATIENT DATA, VISIT_DATA, and DISPENSATION_DATA linked.

I need to also link SERVICE_DATA.

However, since for every patient there are many visits, and many services, and many dispensations - the 1:m data linkage won't work.

Any suggestions?

Thanks for any guidance you can offer.

Jeanine